The present invention relates to the field encompassing latches, and more particularly to latches for centering and holding a filter in a housing.
Latches for holding a filter into a housing must be simple to manipulate without the use of tools and be simple in construction, therefore, inexpensive to manufacture, yet be sturdy. Heretofore known, filter retaining latches have by and large failed to satisfy these requirements. Furthermore, the prior art latches frequently include components which when attached to the filter housing project beyond the peripheral confines of the housing thereby subjecting them to damages in shipping and adding to the cost of shipping. In addition, the prior latches do not provide means for locating the filter in the housing making it possible to latch a filter in the housing in mismatched relationship to the flow path of fluid to be filtered thereby, in many applications, decreasing the efficiency of the filter.
Therefore, a need exists for inexpensive, sturdy filter latch which is manipulative without the use of tools and which includes means for properly locating the filter in the housing.